secondhand

UK: /ˌsɛkəndˈhænd/ US: /ˈsɛkəndˈhænd/ ,(sek′ənd hand′)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ˈsec•ond ˌhand, n. [countable]

1. Time the hand that indicates the seconds on a clock.

Idioms

2. Idioms at second hand, through a secondary or intermediate source:
   heard the news at second hand.

adj., sec•ond•hand /ˈsɛkəndˈhænd/ .

3. not directly known or experienced:
   secondhand knowledge.
4. previously owned:
   secondhand clothes.
5. selling or buying previously used goods:
   a secondhand bookseller.

adv. 

6. after another user or owner:
   He bought it secondhand.
7. indirectly;
   at second hand:
   I heard the news secondhand.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

sec•ond hand  (sek′ənd hand′ for 1; sek′ənd hand′ for 2, 3), 

1. Time the hand that indicates the seconds on a clock or watch.
2. an assistant or helper, as to a worker or foreman.
3. at second hand, from or through an intermediate source or means;
   secondhand:
   She had the news at second hand.

• 1425–75 for def. 3; 1750–60 for def. 1; late Middle English

sec•ond•hand  (sek′ənd hand′), adj. 

1. not directly known or experienced;
   obtained from others or from books:
   Most of our knowledge is secondhand.
2. previously used or owned:
   secondhand clothes.
3. dealing in previously used goods:
   a secondhand bookseller.

adv. 

4. after another user or owner:
   He bought it secondhand.
5. indirectly;
   at second hand:
   He heard the news secondhand.

• second¹ + hand 1645–55

sec′ond•hand′ed•ness, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

second hand noun

1. a pointer on the face of a timepiece that indicates the seconds
   Compare hour hand, minute hand

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

second-hand adjective

1. previously owned or used
2. not from an original source or experience
3. dealing in or selling goods that are not new: a second-hand car dealer

adverb

1. from a source of previously owned or used goods: he prefers to buy second-hand
2. not directly: he got the news second-hand